Pumpkin Ginger Snap Ice Cream Sandwiches

I decided to make ice cream sandwiches with a fall or thanksgiving spin to them. So I made some homemade ginger snap cookies and scooped pumpkin ice cream in between. I used a store bought pumpkin ice cream from Trader Joe's and think I will make some with butter pecan ice cream also. I got the recipe for the ginger snaps at itsybitsyfoodies. The recipe I used is below:

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• ¾ cup butter
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup molasses
• 2 cups flour
• 1 Tbsp ginger powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp baking soda
• ½ t salt

Cream the sugar and the shortening (or butter).  Add the egg and mix in the remaining ingredients. Roll the dough into balls and roll the balls in sugar.  Place the balls on a greased baking sheet.  Flatten them with the bottom of a cup (one that is smooth, without any rims or edges) that is dipped in sugar each time.  Bake the cookies at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until they done.  They will set as they cool so if you want chewy cookies, remove them from the oven when they still look soft and lightly golden around the edges.

Thanksgiving Stuffing

This is the stuffing recipe that my family makes every year for Thanksgiving. My mom created it by combining several different recipes that we have used in previous years. Stuffing is my favorite dish on Thanksgiving, I love the apples and nuts in this recipe and it is never too dry. Usually my mom makes me my own pan of stuffing without the sausage, but the sausage adds a lot of great flavor to the recipe.

Ingredients:

•  2 eggs, beaten
•  1 stick of butter
•  1 onion, minced
•  5 stalks of celery, minced
•  2 cloves of garlic, chopped
•  1 32oz container of chicken broth
•  1/2 tsp of salt
•  1/2 tsp of pepper
•  1 tsp of sage
• 1 tsp poultry seasoning
•  fresh parsley chopped
•  1 large bag of seasoned bread cubes
•  1 jiffy cornbread mix, prepared and crumbled
•  1 sleeve of saltine crackers crumbled
•  2-3 granny smith apples cubed
• 1 lb of Jimmy Dean Sausage
• 11/2 cups pecans chopped

  Directions:

Saute celery, onion, salt, pepper, and garlic in butter in a pan until tender. Then in a large bowl mix together the saltines, corn bread, and seasoned bread cubes. Next add the celery mixture to the bowl.
Saute sausage in separate pan and add to the large bowl. Add eggs, chicken broth. (Add the chicken broth gradually until the stuffing mixture is moist, but not soggy)  Season the mixture with the sage, parsley, poultry seasoning, and, salt and pepper as desired. Add the chopped pecans.
Place in a buttered 9x13 cassarole dish and bake at 350 for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Cook for 30 minutes covered with foil and 15 minutes uncovered. (Usually this recipe will make enough to also fill a buttered 8x8 pan as well as the 9x13)

Baked Chicken Fingers

I really like this recipe for a number of reasons: it's easy, it's healthy, and Hudson loves them! They're pretty tasty and the wheat germ, bran, and flax seed add lots of nutritional value. I've also made these before without the unprocessed bran because I didn't have any in the house and they were still great.

Ingredients:

Serves 4

• 1/2 cup wheat germ
• 1/2 cup unprocessed bran
• 1/4 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons ground flax seed
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders (about 16)
• Barbecue sauce, for serving (optional)

 Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a food processor, combine wheat germ, bran, breadcrumbs, flax seed, Parmesan, onion and garlic powders, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; pulse to combine. Add oil; pulse to combine. Transfer crumb mixture to a large bowl.
2. Set a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet. In a shallow bowl, lightly beat eggs. Dip chicken in eggs (allowing excess to drip off), then dredge in crumb mixture, patting to adhere. Place on rack, and transfer to oven.
3. Bake until chicken is opaque throughout, 12 to 14 minutes. Serve with barbecue sauce, if desired.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Baked Chicken Fingers - Martha Stewart Recipes